An Excess of Enchantments — Craig Shaw Gardner

Once upon a time, a brave young lad named Wuntvor, hapless apprentice to the mighty mage Ebenezum, journeyed from Vushta, City of Forbidden Delights, to the far distant Eastern Kingdoms in search of a cure for his master's malady of magicks (which had, unfortunately, spread to the entire College of Wizards).When he reached his destination, the luckless lad almost immediately ran afoul of the dread Mother Duck, a witch of awesome powers and great literary ambition.Soon he found himself in the witch's clutches ... and her creations--cast as hero (or heroine) in a strange series of foundering fables.Seeing her storytelling efforts fall far short of perfection, the dread Mother Duck flew into a rage, and brought all of her terrible powers to bear against the lad named Wuntvor, to make certain that he ... Lived happily ever after?